From the MTF charts, it looks like wide open sharpness is about the same as 23 f1.4.

And price is more reasonable ($999), not $1299 as someone predicted.

since the 85mm eqv is primarily a portrait focal length one would be shooting this for DoF rather than available light, since this is an APS-C lens you should really compare it to a FF lens that provides around the same DoF, the Nikon 85mm f1.8G which is rated very highly by Dxo for its sharpness wide open weights 350g and is around the same size as the Fuji 56mm and is close to 1/3rd of the price.

Size/use/weight wise the Fuji 56mm offers little over using a FF DSLR 85mm lens, we will have to wait and see if it's worth the extra 2/3rds cost.

First of all the official price for 85/1.8g is 499$" so it is half the price not third. Second, Fuji provides with completely different ergonomics and experience shooting. Such as can u adjust aperture on the lens itself on 85 1.8g for example? The answer is no. And thirdly while the dof advantage is not there, technically Fuji still has to design a f1.2 lens which is much more difficult than designing f1.8 lens. Speaking of price for DoF let's wait and see how Panasonic will price its larger and heavier 42.5/1.2 for m43 lens. I bet it be morethan $999

Well the UK list price for the 56mm is £999 and the current price of the Nikon 85mm f1.8G is £365 (I did say around 1/3rd).

Who cares how difficult it is to design a lens like this, if Fuji pigeonhole themselves in to APS-C then they have to deal with the consequences of creating a fast portrait lens, the sad truth is that it's the user who will have to pay well over the top for the privilege of using a DSLR size/weight lens of this focal length on a more compact body, no doubt the Sony/Zeiss fast 85mm for the A7/R will be a bit bigger and just as expensive as the Fuji.

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